Hikitia! Te Tauihu is RISE's ACC-funded primary prevention initiative, working across Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough to help prevent family violence, sexual violence, and child sexual abuse before harm occurs.

At Hikitia!, we believe prevention is about creating the conditions that allow people, whānau, and communities to flourish. While responding to violence is essential, lasting change comes from strengthening the protective factors that help people experience safety, belonging, connection, identity, and healthy relationships throughout their lives. We work alongside communities to make these conditions more visible, more accessible, and more deeply embedded in everyday life.

Our approach is grounded in community mobilisation and systems change. We bring together iwi, community organisations, government agencies, schools, businesses, artists, faith communities, and local leaders to build shared understanding, strengthen relationships, and support collective action. By shifting conversations, building capability, creating opportunities for connection, and supporting communities to lead change, we help create environments where violence is less likely to occur.

No single organisation can prevent violence alone. Prevention happens when communities are connected, informed, and empowered to work together. Through partnerships, learning opportunities, creative projects, leadership development, and community-led initiatives, Hikitia! supports lasting change that strengthens the wellbeing of current and future generations.

Grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and informed by evidence, lived experience, and the strengths of our local communities, Hikitia! is helping build a future where everyone can experience lives and relationships free from violence.